In search of Shangri-La: II

[faris]

Some places just get a hold of you. Nepal has done that to us. The people and the place.

For my wife it is the mountains. For me the people..the customs..the culture.

So lets search for Shangri-La, once more.

Thank you for coming along.

[DamenS]

Lovely shots. What films did you use ?

[helenhill]

Hey Faris...WOW ...Quite Fab...Swooooon !

[faris]

Originally Posted by DamenS

Lovely shots. What films did you use ?

Damen, thank you for stopping by. Unfortunately, no film in this set.

The first image is the D-Lux4; the second is the D700 + zf 100/2 Makro
coverted to bw with Nik sw.

Regards.

[faris]

Originally Posted by helenhill

Hey Faris...WOW ...Quite Fab...Swooooon !

Helen, what a pleasant surprise to have you along on the journey.
We could not have a better traveling companion.

Best to you and yours.

[faris]

The mountaineer..

The mountains..

The spirit of Nepal..

[DamenS]

That last one is especially stunning.

[faris]

Originally Posted by DamenS

That last one is especially stunning.

Damen, very much appreciated.

Thank you.

[faris]

These sets of images are more about the people than about the mountains.
Without the people, the mountains are like a temple without the worshippers.

Shangri-La with no one to sing its praises.

The story is about a father..

And his daughter..

Above all it is a thank you to the people of Nepal.

[oftheherd]

What great photos! I wish my wife and I could go there. It seems a beautiful place and interesting people.

Thanks for posting.

[faris]

Originally Posted by oftheherd

What great photos! I wish my wife and I could go there. It seems a beautiful place and interesting people.

Thanks for posting.

Thank you very much for the encouragement.

Best regards.

[faris]

What is it that a people hold dear?

Find that out, a little understanding and respect; you shall begin to feel less
like a stranger in a strange land.

From the bells in a temple..

To those that are its keepers..

[faris]

Watch it from a distance..

The priests..

And their prayers..

You are welcome.

[Gerry M]

Thank you for this wonderful post. It really projects a lot of feeling and is so well done.
Regards,
Gerry

[faris]

Originally Posted by Gerry M

Thank you for this wonderful post. It really projects a lot of feeling and is so well done.
Regards,
Gerry

Gerry, thank you so very much.

Kindest regards.

[faris]

The mountains in Nepal harbor eight of the highest peaks in the world.

But there is much more..much more.

A simple smile, a hello, a request. That's all that is needed!

[faris]

Where there is life, can death be far behind?

Respect for the living and respect for the dead.

Each having its own rituals, its own script..

The thing about death..those that grieve today, shall be grieved tomorrow..

The smell of the funeral pyre is all prevailing. As I enter the crematorium; There is a continuous washing and cleaning of the pyres..to clean it of the ashes of the past dead..and prepare for the next dead.

The next set of images of the cremations might be inappropriate for sensitive viewers.

[faris]

The last rites are given for the dead. The body is moved to the pyre.
The cleaning of the pyre is undertaken once more.
The body is laid on the funeral pyre.
The male members of the family carry out the final rituals. See the torch
being carried.

The fire is lit.
The body is cremated.
The pyre is cleaned once again.

The ashes are preserved in an urn.

And the remaining are swept into the water or carried away by the wind.

Watching the majesty of the mountains and the funeral rites, I felt as the
poet did..

"With them the Seed of Wisdom did I sow,
And with my own hand labour'd it to grow:
And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd---
"I came like Water, and like Wind I go." "

Thank you for being with us.